Workshops making bee hives, microbat roosts & Mobiles @ STEAM Ahead for the Blacktown Festival

As part of the celebrations at the Blacktown festival Wahoo Business ran 6 workshops over 2 days. Participants in groups of 24+ from 6 -15 years old made Ocarinas from clay, Bird mobiles that fly on Inertia, Solitary bee Hives, Microbat roosts and did some investigating of FORENSICS of bite patterns, fingerprints, foot prints, chromatography, tyre rubbings and riddles.

INERTIA BIRD MOBILES

Participants designed their preferred Bird mobile, from bats, parrots, pelicans, cockatoo and Hawks and then measured and made a balanced mobile using the principles of Inertia to drive the bird into action.

OCARINA MAKING

Youngsters and parents used clay and sticks to make an Ocarina and try to perfect the Fipple to resonate in tune.

SOLITARY BEE HIVES

30 youngsters assembled kits and bolted them together, then drilled 6mm holes in a random fashion and glued a skylight on top for a viewing platform to encourage solitary bees to feel at home in their gardens. Aiming to encourage the Blue banded bee, Leaf cutter bee and the carpenter bee.

MICROBAT ROOSTS

Parents and children spent a quiet time on the grass at the Parklands assembling 24 microbat roosts to place at their homes to encourage the little critters to do their thing and eat 1200 mosquitoes /hr while night pollinating.